Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-08-31
REGENTS OF THE w. v. U.
An Explanation of their Action-The Chair
OF Biology.

OF Biology.
TO ne Edaor Of TIE Register:
SrR.-In the WEEKLY REGISTER there
was a caustic criticism Of the action Of the
Regents of the University. The Regents
are representatives of the people and their
acts are proper subjects for fair criticism.
But the writer should know what he is
writing about, and he should not misrepre-
sent his subject and then abuse and ridi-
cule the subject that he has made. Let
him learn the facts and contine himself
to tine facts.
The REGISTER had q correspondent at
M~organtown who was present much OF the
time at the meeting of the Regents. he
heard the discussion on the question OF
adding biology to the Chair of Anatomy,
Physiology and Hygiene, and the Q
TER at least ought not to have lead on IN
statements about this matter.
There is no snch thing as a chair OF "Bi-
ology and Medicine" in the University. IL
has erept into the catalogues OF the lnstl-
tuition that there is a department OF med
icine," but this is a mistake. The Uni
versity does not pretend to make doctors,
it does not confer the degree of NJ. ID. Any
one undertaking the work OF censor-fault-
Gndar-ought to have informed himself
fully about the position OF the University
on this matter.
Ii Was and is the intention OF the Re-
gents to make the University furnish a
high grade collegiate ~ssncation, and they
Thought that to acquire sucn ~ education
at this day there must he learned a. least
the rudiments of biology, physiology,
anatomy and hygiene; that these studies
should be part Of the collegiate course. 1t
ia not the intention that these studies
should be exhaustiyely taught, any more
thar that Greek or Latin or mathematics
should be exhaustively taught. This idea
may be a farce and a blunder on the part
of the Regents, in the opinion of an old
school ~allopathy dispenser. of calomel and
p~aregoric, but in the opinion of the Regents
our Young men at this day cannot lay claim
to q polite education without some knowl-
edge of biology, physiology, hygiene and
anatomy.
Abolish this chair? Send young men out
as graduates of the West Virginia Univers-
ity without any knowledge of biology,
physiology, anatomy and hygiene,i This
would be q farce and blunder of no small
proportions in the opinion of people of
even moderate modern learning.
But the great offense of the Regents was
the appointment Of al inexperienced
boy" as professor OF biology, Ct Get.
The idea of the Regents was that the
best talent aud modern learning that could
be procured kpr the salary at their COM
mand. Diplomas were exhibited showing
that DIR. HaTtegan had recently graduated
in the foremost medical college in the
United States. There were several diplO-
mas which tended to show that he was
educated in the modern development of
the sciences. He was understood to he 4
young man, and the Regents wanted the
modern learning, the enthusiasm, the
zeal aud the rugged endurance of a young
man, who would import some OF
his Youthful ariOr and enthusiasm
TO the young men that would he under his
instructions. The Regents inferred from
the diplomas introduced and the other i'll
formation that they had that DIR. II. was
learned in the modern state of the science
of the branches of his chair. The Regents
did not wish to hear it said OF the Profess.
or that he is an old fogy, iOssilized, and
behind the times.
1t is the desire of the Regents to make
the University of the State, ~ far a. 1t
pretends to 20, fully abreast OF the times,
80 as to inspire in the young men who at
tend the institution the full belief that
they are being taught the latest and fresh
est that the scientific world enjoys.
ONE OF THE REGENTS.